A Lab Rat's Lament
by AyumiFallassion
Summary: A one shot from Riley's POV, as he takes care of a suicide in the demons block. Turns out that not all demons are evil, but does she share that point of view about humans? Blood, torture. Now with a prequal, 'The Lament of the Dog.'


Ok, you know in 'Initiative' when Spike escapes, you see a girl in the cell right across from him? This is a one-shot from her perspective, but it's not her watching his escape. It's what I'm surprised didn't happen more often. Read, and enjoy.

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Riley sighed as he opened the cell of a HST, one of the ones he'd brought in. Or at least, what had used to be a HST. The thing had killed itself, using sharp claws to slice open it's own throat. Long white hair pooled around it's head, a veritable ocean of silver, and brilliantly amber eyes stared up at him accusingly. On the side of it's head, pointed ears stood out like that of an elf, a purple-red slash was on each cheek, and on its forehead was a tattoo of a blue crescent moon. It's mouth was slightly open, revealing canines like a dog's. The rest of its body was covered in nothing but a trail of fur that went from its right shoulder to its rear end, ending in a tail.

He shook his head. This one had been recorded as having very advanced healing capabilities, but nothing could survive the brutality it had inflicted upon itself. It was able to produce a strange acid from it's fingers, but testing had shown that it wasn't affected by it's own poison. It had slowly torn out the flesh and arteries of it's own, pale throat.

With another sigh, he kneeled next to the body, inspecting it's hands. Blood and flesh was shoved under the claws of it's right hand, but one finger, the pointer finger, was dripping with blood. Curious, he inspected the other hand, and noticed that the palm had been slashed open repeatedly.

'Strange,' he thought as he straightened, motioning for the other soldiers to take care of the body. 'This one wasn't recorded as being into self-mutilation unlike some of the others, despite the acid under it's fingers,'

Turning to leave, Riley pulled up as he caught sight of the wall. "How'd I miss this?!" he exclaimed. The wall was covered in blood that formed strange markings. Looking a little closer, Riley was amazed to find perfectly reasonable English! A little drippy, but readable. He shuddered as he had a revelation. "It used it's own blood to write this," he whispered.

_'I write this,' _the wall started, _'knowing that I do not have long for this world. As I hope that someone will read this, I will tell you what has led me to take my own life, despite the fact that this is seen as cowardly among my people._

_'I am known as Youko, eldest daughter of Koumori, and the heir to the Aotsuki clan. I am a proud member of the inuyoukai clan and race, and a descendant of royalty. By your count, I am very old, but by our count, I am very, very young. Not old enough to leave my father's house, to take a mate of my own, to get a job in the human world. But old enough to have my pride. _

_'I have been tortured, beaten, and starved in this cold place. I have been surrounded by nothing but white, and my ears have been assaulted by the cries of my fellow demons. The blood packets have not the nutrients that I need. I am a carnivore, not a vampire or a werewolf. These eyes of mine have seen the human world, and they have found it lacking. Lacking morals, lacking compassion, lacking plain common sense!_

_'Eventually, someone else will escape like William the Bloody did, and when that happens, I hope you are good with your gods, because they will return with their own clans. It is my hope that they tear this place apart, piece by piece. I also hope that they kill all of you, but leave Walsh for last, so she can see what she has brought upon herself with her experiments. I would escape myself, but I have not the strength to try anymore._

_'Not all demons are evil, just like I vaguely remember that not all humans are into torturing the innocent. Not even all of the vampires are evil, I once met a hippy couple down in Virginia, but that is not the point. My point is, that if you give us a chance, like they do back home in Japan, then many of us are willing to leave humans alone. _

_'I leave this world in order to escape this horrible reality. I only hope that my ancestors will forgive me for my transgression, and allow me to rest in peace with my mother. _

_'Sadly, and resigningly, _

_'Youko Shiroinu, Daughter of Koumori, and true descendant of the Lord of the West.'_

The final mark trailed off like a tear, as if she was leaning against the wall as she died, blood smearing in a downward arc.

Riley gulped as he exited the cell, looking around at the other HSTs, truly seeing them for the first time. Many of them were frightening, but as he watched, he could see signs that were similar to the female. Many of the demons were thin, much thinner than when they were brought in, and some were huddling away from the door, as if trying to block out the cries and screams of their fellow cellmates.

Shaking his head, Riley bit his lip as he made a promise to himself. 'I'll get out of here eventually, and I'll find a way to free these cre- no, these people. No one deserves to live like this.'

Not a week later, the Gentlemen came to Sunnydale, and Riley found out the truth about his crush…

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So, what do you think? 

Read and Review please! Even if it's to tell me that it sucks.


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